Process of and apparatus for dehydrating crude petroleum oil



Sept. 14 1926. 1,600,030

. H. O. BALLARD PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING CRUDE PETROLEUM OIL Filed April 10, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 RESERVOIR BOLVBGAHEIG BOLVBGAHEIO BOLVHCIAHEIG HOLVUG/KHBCI HOLVHGAHEJG Sept. 14 1926. 1,600,030

H. O. BALLARD PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING CRUDE PETROLEUM-OIL Filed April 10, 1919 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 luoentox 1,600,030 H. o. BALLARD ,.1919 5 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed April 10 Sept. 14 1926.

BROCESS OF 'AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING CRUDE PETROLEUM OIL"! Sept 14,1926. 1,600,030

H. O. BALLARD PROCES OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING CRUDE PETROLEUM OIL- Filed April lO, '1919 5 Sheets-Sheet: 4-

MQMQ1 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 Sept. 14 1926.

' f H. o. BALLARD PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING CRUDE PETROLEUM OIL FiledApril 10', 1919 A Patented sepif raises.

'niriensrarss PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD onr'n Bantam), or BARTLESVILLE; OKLAHOMA, n'ssmnon. BY mE'sN A sremvrniv'rs, 'ro DOHERTY RESEARCH COMPANY, '01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A canyon.

arrow or. nnnawnmi.

' PROCESS OF AND APPABA'IUSFOR DEHYDRATING CRUDE PETROLEUM (ML-L.-

Application filed Apri1 10,

5 Water, containing salts such as the chlorides and sulfates of calcium and magnesium is often found in the earth associated witli petroleum oil and this salt water or brine is brought to the surface with the oil when the oil is removed from a well. If the salt water is merely mixed with the oil,

it may be readily separated from the oil' by conducting the mixture into a tank. and allowing the water to settle. However, due .Jto reasons not fully understood but apparently due to defective pumping apparatus and to the agitation of 011 and water by gas; an emulsion is often formed in the oil which consists of an oil-water colloid and semi? colloid and minute globules of water suspended in the oil. lhis emulsion is very detrimental to the'oil and it is very diffi- 4 cult to separate the emulsion from the oil.

The primary object of'the present invention is to provide a method of'treating oil to remove water and emulsign which is eiii' cient and inexpensive in operation.

Another object of the invention is to pr0- vide an apparatus for dehydrating oil, by which water and emulsion may be effectively separated from the oil without injury thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved emulsion separator for an oil dehydrating apparatus by which an emulsion may be effectively. separated from oilwithout loss of the volatile constituents of the oil.

A further object of provide a hydrating apparatus byv which water may be, effectively coagulated and separated from. oil and emulsions;

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the improved process the invention is to of and apparatus'for dehydrating oil here-- inafter described and defined in the claims. The various features of the invention are the accompanying drawings,

illustrated in in which- Figure 1 .'s a diagrammatic view illustrating an apparatus in which oil may be ii dehydrated in accordance with the 'prej feiified 'form of the invention;

water separator for an oil dc.

1919. Serial No. 288,941.

Fig 2 is a plan view of the improi GIIIIIlSIOIYSGPBIatOI'; Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation par n section of the emulsion separator she in Fig.2; I

Fig. is a view of the emulsion separa shown in vertical section taken on the l 4l of Fig. 2; i,

Fig. is a' View of the emulsion separa shown in vertical section taken on the '1 55 of Fig. 2; q V

Fig 6 is a View of the high temperat emulsion separator shown in a vertical tion taken through the longitudinal cei of the separator;

Fig. 7 is a View of the high teinperat emulsion separator shown in vertical tion taken transversely of the separator Fig. 8 is a detail-vertical sectional v of the expansionjoint used in thecovei the emulsion separators;

Fig. 12 is 'a- View of the watersepar shown in vertical section taken on 'the 12l2 of Fig. 11; and I Fig. 13 is a view of the Water sepai shown in vertical section taken on the 1313'of Figrll.

The preferred method of the presen vention for dehydrating petroleum oils sists in heating the oils to efiect a I settlement of emulsion and water in th and the manipulation of the heated o a flowing body in such a manner tha water and emulsion ,are continuously rated fromthe flowing body as they therein. By heating the oil to the p: temperature, a portion of the emulsior be decomposed, entrained water and 1 sion in theoil will coagulate, and th cosity of the oil will be sufficiently deer to permit the water and emulsion to ra settle by. gravity. However;

if the a pheric temperatures afe sufliciently hig the viscosity of the oil is low, the

and emulsoin will often settle r2 enough so that it'is not necessary to gi I. heat treatment. When the hydrated s in proper condition for rapid settling, :her reviously heated or not in accor wit 'the atmospheric conditions and specific character of the oil, it is passed continuous stream through an emulseparati'ng chamber at such a rate that a will be practically no agitation'or disance of the liquid materials. In passthrough the separating chamber, the oil 1m flows over a series of pockets formed. llBs-fiOOI' of .the chamber and liquid is inuously drawn ofi" ffom the bottom of; pockets to increase the velocity of settle t of emulsion and water in the oil and airy thefiemulsion and waterorit of the uber. The liquid material drawn outugh the bottom of..the pockets, which ists of oil emulsion and water,.is coned through a water separator where the :r, is removed and the oil and emulsion subjected to .a heat treatment and then ed through a second emulsion separatchamber to recover the oil therein. Any lsion which. is separated from the oil in second separating chamber is condpcted second water separator-where the water amoved and the emulsion'is then passed ugh a centrifugal machine to remove the from the water. The oil which passes mgh the emulsion separators is substanly free of water" and emulsion and is narketable condition. The oil leaving separators contains a large quantity of a so that-it is. assed through a heat inhanger-to pre eat incoming oil to be ted. To avoid loss of low boiling point :tituents in the oil, the oil is held .in ed containers during the heating and tratmg treatments and any vapors which set free from the oil are collected, con-. red and returned to the dehydrated. oil. igure 1 of the drawings illustrates dianmatically an apparatus in which a bod of dehydrating'oil embodying the erred form of the invention ma he :ormed. The dehydration of petro eum containing brine and emulsion in the aratus shown in'Fig. 1, maybe carried as follows: Crude oil from.'a"well is Eerably sent to alarge storage tank where water is removed and the oil containthe water and emulsion is then allowed low b gravity or p umped through a a 20, Fig. 1) into a heat interchanger The 011 is heated in the interchanger 22 t temperature of approximately 100 F. be dehydrated oil which has been treated .1s flowing back to storage. From the rchanger 22, the heated 'oil passes )ugh a pipe 24 and is conducted by ms of plpes 26' to heaters 28. The oil eated 1n the heaters 28 by'means of steam ch isled in through a pipe 29 from steam erators 30 and is raised to a temperature of approximately 140 F. or a temperature at which the water and emulsion will tend to coagulate, and a. temperature at which the viscosity of the oil is sufficiently low to permit the waterand emulsion toJ" rapidly settle. The oil leaving the heaters 28 passes through pipes 30 into a waterseparating compartment of emulsion dehydrators 32 (see Figs. 2 to 5). Free water is removed from the oil in compartments 34 and 36 and the partially dehydrated oil is then slowly advanced in a moving stream through a riflie separating compartment 38. The velocity of flow of the oil in the sepa rating compartment is carefully regulated so that the water and emulsion settling through the oil body will not be agitated or disturbed and the length of the separating compartment is such that the lightest particles of water and emulsion will have sufficient time to settle through the depth of the oil stream while the stream is advancing he length of the separating compartment. the stream of oil advancing through the separating com artment passes over a. series of pockets whic collect the water-and emulsion settling in the stream. The emulsion and. water, together with some oil, is continuouslydrawn off from the bottom of the pockets to accelerate the velocity of settling of the water and emulsion and to separate the water 'and emulsion from the oil stream. he liquid flowing out of the bottom of t e pockets has direction which constitutes a continuation of the general direction of movement ofithe particles of water and emulsion settling through the oil body and the velocity of flow of the liquidis regulated to avoid any disturbance of the settling of water and emulsion in the oil body. The dehydrated oil is removed from the upper portion of the separating compartment 38 so that there will be 'no tendency for the water and emulsion to be drawn out with the dehydrated oil.

The dehydrated oil leaving the separator 32 is, substantially free of water and emulsiefi and is in marketable condition, but it contains a large amount of heat which is uti'lized in preheating the incoming oil to be 'tr eated. To accomplish this, the oil leavin the end of the separators 32 flows throng a conduit 40 and is carried by a pump 42 through a pipe 44 into the interchanger 22. When the dehydratedoil has passed through the interchanger 22, it emerges'through a.

pipe 46 at substantiallydhetemperature of the incoming oil "in the pipe 20.

The water and emulsion drawn o-lf from the pockets in the noor of the emulsion separator flow into conduits or gutters 48 positioned along the longitudinal sides of the sepa ators 32. The gutters 48 are con nected with a main gutter 50 which leads to awater separator 52 (Figs. 11, 12 and 13) drators 62 and pass through a main gutter separating compartment 36.

' in the water separator 52. Free water is arated from the oil in the separator 62 are collected in conduits nor gutters 72 mounted partment 76 through a swing pipe 77 by The water, emulsion and oil'enteri-n the and 76 is conducted through pipes 98 into separator 52 is stratifiedf the water ein a Water reservoir 100. The various umps continuously removed and the emulsion and used for handling the oil preferah y are oil being intermittently skimmed oil. from' steam-driven and the exhaust steam from above the water. The emulsion and water, 'the vapors-is well adapted for use in the separated in the separator '52 are drawn out heaters 28. Where high temperatures, howinto a pipe 54 by means of a' pump 56 and ever, are required to preheat the oil flowing forced through a pipe 58 into heaters 60. through the separators 62, it may be neces- The oil is heated to substantially a'temp'ersary to use superheated steam from the ature of 200 F. in the heaters 60 or to a generators 30 in the heaters 60. temperature-at which-the emulsion will be Thejemulsien separators 32 are shown brolren down, and the heated oil is then more particularly in detail in Figs. 2, 3, 4 passed into high temperatureseparators 62. and 5. These separators all have the same The high temperature separators 62 shown construction and consist of closed gas-tight in Figs. 6 and 7 have substantially the same 'chambers of reinforced concrete construcconstruction as the separators 32 and the oil tion. The oil enters the separating compartis passed therethrough in a slowly flowing 'ment 34 6f the separator through the pipe stream to remove any Wat and emulsion 30 and it is allowed to quietly settle and he dehydrated stratify The water settles to the bottom which will settle in the oil. oilleaving thecoutlet ends of the separators of the compartment 34 and may be with- 62 is drawn through pipes a pipe into the dehydrated oil pipe. 44.

emulsion gutters 48. The emulsion, stands This heated oil is there mixed with the deabove the water and is permitted to pass hydrated, oil from the separators 32, passed through openings 104 in a partition wall through the heat interchanger 22 andlthen 106, between the compartments 34, and 36, flows to storage. Water and emulsion septo prevent disturbance of the emulsion 1n the oil, The oil containing a comparatively small amount. of emulsion flows over the along the longitudinal sides of the dehy top of the partition wall 106 into VETlYiG watefiien t e heated oil is released from the pipe 30 in the entrance compartment 34, a large percentage of the low boiling point constituents 74 into a separating compartment. 7 6- formed separated from the emulsion in the separatmg compartment 76 and the emulsion is drawn oflof the top of the separating commeans of a pump -7 8 and delivered to a cen trifugal separator 80 where water of the emulsion is removed from the oil. The. oil, form a gas seal between the compartments separated in the centrifugal machine 80 '34 and 36. Thevapors released from the the chamber cover-.110"downwardly below may be-conductedto a storage tank 82 or oil. create a vapor pressure in the compartto come off from the oil throughout its passage through the separators 3 2 and 62.

. 144 through an expanding-valve 96.

" 'pOr-collecting pipes the various'compartments of the separators.v The vapor pipes 88;

in the condenser 94 and forced by .meansof a pump 84 througha nient 34 which tends to retard the vaporizacondurt 86 'into the dehydrated oil pipe 44. tion of the lowboiling point constituents When the oil which has been heated in the and the vapors are continuously removed interchanger 22,. and heaters 28 and 60 is through an outlet 112. Which connects .with released in the water-separating comparta vapor-collecting pipe 88. The oil reaching mentsof the separators 32 and 62, some of the second water-removing compartment 36 the low boil ng constituents of the oil are is allowed to stratify further and water is yaporrze'd; These vapo'rs-wi ll often continue removed from opposite sides of the compartavoid a vaporization loss, the separatorsa constructed as gas-tight chambers and va- 88 are connected with sloped in opposition to the flow of oil to drain the water to the outlets 114. The emulsion stratified in the compartment 36 passes throughppenings 116 in a' partition wall 118 and the partiallypurified oilflows through openings 120 in the upper part of connect with a conduit 90 which leads through a vacuum pump 92 to acondenser94. The vapors are condensed the partition wall-118. Any vapors which the condensate flows are collected in"the.compartment 36 are refrom'the condenser through a pipe 95 and moved; through an outlet pipe, 122 which 1s introduced into the dehydrated oil pipe is. connected with a vapor-removing pipe water separated from the oil i'n'thecentrifurating compartment 38 from the 'c'om'partgal machlne 80 and the water separators 52 ment 36 is comparativelyfree ,from water 64 and 66 by drawn at opposite sides of the compartment means of a pump 68 and conducted through through outlets 102 which empty into the are volatilized. To prevent the distributionof these gases through the separating chamher, a wall 108 projects from thebottom 111 The 88. The oil and emulsion entering the sepa.

the upper edge of the partition wall 106 to vlltl Hg? through outlets 114 and the "floor in Tea/11h forward part of the compartment is lee so that the separation in the compartment 38 consists principally in a separation of emulsion from the dil. A series of, collecting; pockets 124'for collecting the emulsion settling from the oil are'formed in the floor of compartment 38 by a seriesof large sawteeth 126 which are arranged withthe' teeth opposing the direction of flow of oil through the compartment. The teeth 126 are preferably made of concrete-construction and constitute the floor of the separating compartment. At the base of each of the teeth 126 are mounted a series of outlet pipes 128 (Fig. 5), which open into a drain 130 mounted in the floor and sloping from the center of the compartment tothe opposite sides of the separator. Valves 132 are mounted in the drains 130 at opposite sides of the separator by which the rate of flow of water, emulsion and oil outwardly into the gutters 48 maybe accuratelycontrolled. A series of plugs 134 are mounted in the cover of the separating chamber immediate ly-above the outlets 128 of each pocket 124 to permit access to the chamber for cleaning the outlets The flow of liquid downwardly through the outlets 128 and drain 130 is a continuation of the general direction of settling of the emulsion and water through the stream of oil in the separating compartment 38 so that this flow does not create an agitation or disturbance of the emulsion in the oil body. The rate of flow can be accurately controlled by means of the valves 132 so that the material entering the gutters 48 through the drains 130 will contain a very small percentage of free oil. The separating compartment 38 is so designed that the lightest particles of emulsion will have had time to settle to the bottom of the stream of oil by the time the oil has advanced the length ofthe compartment. The dehydrated oil leavin the compartment 38 Fig. 4) formed in the upper portion of the end wall 138 of the separating compartment and passes through an outlet. pipe14O connected with the pipe 40 (Fig; 1). Any vapors which are separated from the 011 in the compartment 38 are removed through outlet pipes 139' (Figs 2 and 4) which are connected with a vaporcollecting .pipe 88..

It is quite essential that the emulsion separator should be agas-tight chamber in order to prevent loss of volatile vapors of the oil. The concrete construction of the separating chamber will'necessarily be subjected to considerable variations in temperatnres of the hetrtedoils, and to provide for expansion and contraction of the concrete construction, the separator 32 is made in four sections. These sections are independently movable andare connected by means of vapor-tight expansion joints. The form of expansion joint used in the construction of the separating of the cover 110 is shown at 142 in Fig. 8. The joint 142 is filled with a hightcmp'er ature asphalt which will insure a tight joint with the. expansion and contraction of the cover.- The joint for the side walls of the separator is shown at 144.1'n Fig. 9. A high temperature asphalt. filling block 146 is placed in the joint 144 to make the chamber gas-tight. The expansion joint for the floor compartment is shown at. 148 in Fig. 10, this oint 146 being filled with a high temperature asphalt to make the joint gas-tight. Throughout the length of the separator, a series of reinforcing rlbs 150 are formed in the-cover 110 to form a rigid structure which may be covered with -heat-insulating materials to prevent the oil from being materially cooled -in passing through the separating chamber.

The construction of the high temperatureemulsion separators 62 is shown in detail in. Figs; 6 and 7. The separators- 62 have substantiallythe same construction as the separators 32 except that they are shorter and thus have a tower number of emulsion separating pockets and the side and end walls are .provide'dwith a heat-insulating wall to prevent the oil from being cooled while it ispassing through the separators. The oil and emulsion from the. heater 60 is introduced into a water -removing com artment 152 of the separator through an inlet pipe 15- The water settling in the compartment 1 52 is removed through outlets 156 at opposite sides of the separator, the emulsion passes through outlets 158 in a division wall 160 and the partially purilied oil flows over the division wall 160. A sealing wall 162 projectsifrom'a cover 164 for the separator, to trap gas in the I compartment 154 and the gas collected in the compartmentpasses out through a'pipe 166 which is connected with a vapor-collecting pipe 88 (Fig. 1). Oil.and.'emulsion from the compartment 152 flow intofasecond water-separating compartment 168.where the oil is through :openings 176 in the upper portion of the partitidn 1.74. Vapors accumulated in the compartment 168 pass out through a ipe 178'which isconnectedwith a Va 01'- co lectingpipe 88. --[he oil flowing cm the water-separating compartment 168-.en

ters the emulsion-separating compartment 180 where the oil flows over a series of jpoc'kets 182 formed in the floor'of the compartment by-means of a series of saw teetli 184. Vapors collected in the compartment 180 are removed through pipes 186 which connect with a vapor-collecting pipe 88. The dehydrated oil leaves the compartment 180 over a weir 188 formedin the end wall of the compartment and passes through an outlet pi e 190 which is connected with the pipe 66.

posed of an outside wall 192 andaninside "wall '194which are spaced apart to provide I aadead'air space 196. The space 1% acts expansion joints in the side walls of the separator 62 differ fronr the expansion joints in the side walls of the separator 32 in that they havhthe inner walls 194 which are connected by corrugated plates 198 to proyilie for expansion and contraction;

The water separator for separating water from emulsion collectedin the separators 32 and 62'isshown in detail in Figs; 11, 12 and 13. The emulsion collected in the guttei' 50 from the separators 32 ,enters the water-separator 52 through an inlet pipe ings 208'passes into a space 212 formed be-.

200 and passes into a separating compartment 202 through openings 204 formed in the lower portion of a battle wall 206. The emulsion stratifies in the compartment 202 with dehydrated oil on top, emulsion below the dehydrated oil, and water in the bottom. The water with some emulsion is forced out of the compartment 202 by hydrostatic pressure and passes through, openings 208 formed in the bottom of a partition wall 210. The water flowing through the opentween the partition 210 and a Weir wall 214 whlch projects from the floor of the separator upwardly only a portion of the height of a second separating compartment 216. 1Boxes 218 containing chat or gravel are placed 1n the spate 212 so that the water and emulsion passing. upwardly throu h the space will be forced to pass through t e chat. Tn passing through the chat, the emulsion wi 1 be partially brokenlupto permit the 011 and water to coagulate. The

emulsion, oil and water reaching the compartment 216 stratify with oil on top, em'iilsion in the middle, and water at the bottom.

formed between the partition-222 and a weir' wall 226. The. weir wall 226 projects from the floor of the separatorupwardly only a portion of the height of a third separating compartment 228.- Chat boxes 230 similar to the chat boxes/218 are placed in the space 2 24 to assist in breaking up any emulsion passing" upwardly over the weir wall 226.

Fig. 1). The front end wall and the side walls of the separators 62 are coma The emulsion, oil and water stratify in the compartment 228and the water is forced by hydrostatic pressure through openings 232 formed in the lower portion of a partition 234. The water flowin out through the openings 232 enters a space 236 formed be? openings 242' in the partitions 210 and 222 to equalize the pressure in the compartments so that the oil, water and emulsion will flow by gravity from the entrance pipe 200 toward the water outlet 240'. It will be noted higher than the upper edge of the weir wall that the upper edge of the weir wall'214 is I 226, and the water outlet opening 240 is lower than the upper edge of the weir'wall 226. This construction permits the continuous how of water from the entrance L200 toward the outlet 240. The oil and emulsion collecting in the upper portions of the compartments 202, 216 and 228 may be intermittently skimmed. off by means of swing pipes ,244 which are pivotally connected to outlet pipes 246 mounted in the side wall ofthe separator 52. The emulsion isdrawn 05 of the top of the compartments by means of the pump 56 which is connected with the pipes 246 by the pipe 54 (Fig. The gutters 48 and 72 at the sides of the separators 32 and 62 respectively and the gutters 50 and 7 4 are covered to prevent the escape of vapors and to retain the heat in the emulsion leaving the separators. The separator 52 is a covered gas-tight chamber to prevent loss of vapor and to conserve heat in the oil. Gas accumulating in the compartments 202, 216 and 2281will be removed through the swing pipes 244. Preferably, the separator 52 is made of concrete construction and is positioned below the surface of the ground to assist in conserving the heat of the oil.

.The emulsion separated in the separators 62 is treated in a water-separator T 6 shown more particularly in Figs. 11 and. 12. The separator 76 is made of concreteconstruction and forms a part of the water-separator 52. i

The emulsion flows from the separators 62 through the gutter 74 and enters an open separating compartment 248 through an. inlet pipe 250. The emulsion stratifies in the compartment 248 with the water at the bot tomand the oil and-emulsion in the upper portion, The, water is forced out of the compartment 248 by hydrostatic pressure and passes through an opening 252 formed in ,a partition wall 254. The water flowing through the opening 252 enters a space 256 60 r oil, comprising heating the oil, passing the formed between the partition 254 and the end wall 258 of the separator 76 and overflows through an'outlet pipe 260 connected.

with the water-outlet pipe 98 (Fig 1). The emulsion collected in the compartment 248 is intermittently drawn ofl by means of the pump 78 (Fig. 1), through the swing pipe 77 The swing pipe 77 is pivo'tally' connected "with the outlet pipe 262 mounted in the side wall of the separator 76 and the outlet pipe 262 is connected in turn with apipe 264 leading to the pump 78.

The heat interchanger 22 and the heaters 28 and 60 may be any of the approved forms of apparatus which are used for these purposes.

. It will be noted that with the process and apparatus outlined above, oil may be dehydrated while moving in a continuous stream throu h the apparatus. It is not necessary wit the above process and apparatus to have large storage tanks for holdmg the oil while settling, but the oil is in marketable condition when. it leaves the apparatus. Although the oil is heated while being dehydrated, the heat put into the oil is interchanged to preheat incoming oil to be treated, so that the heatingof the oil can be accomplished with a comparatively small amount of heat. Also, the 011 is heated while it is continuously advancing and is heated in stages so that there is comparatively little .danger of the oil being burned or injured ing been thus described, what is claimed as .new is:

' and 1. A method of'dehydrating petroleum 011, comprising slowly advancing the oil in a continuous stream across a series .of pockets, settling emulsion into said poclypts,

withdrawing said emulsion from said pockets while saidstream is advancing.

2. A method of dehydrating petroleum 011,. comprising heating the oil, passing the heated oil in a continuous stream through a closed chamber, and removing emulsion from the bottom of said stream as it settles by gravity.

-' a 3. A method of dehydrating petroleum heatcd oil -in a continuous stream through a 'iclosed chamber, removing emulsion from the? bottom'of said stream as it settles by gravity, withdrawing oil vapors from said chamber, condensing said vapors, and mixing the condensate with the dehydrated oil. 4. A method of dehydrating petroleum oil, comprising heating the oil, passing the heated oil in a continuous stream through a closed chamber, removing emulsion from the bottom of said stream as it settles by avity, and interchanging the heat in the ehydrated oil to untreated oil entering said chamber.

5. A method of dehydrating petroleum oil, comprising slowly advancing oil in a continuous stream and causing a continuous current of water containing liquid to flow from the bottom of the stream throughout the lengththereof at a rate such as to cause a lowering of the level and withdrawal of the said water containing liquid Without causing a disturbance in the overlying liquid layer.

6. A method"of dehydrating petroleum oil,- comprising slowly advancing oil in a continuous stream across a series of pockets, and causing a continuous current of water containing liquid to flow from said pockets at such a rate as to cause no disturbance of liquid in said stream, using the current to assist gravity in withdrawing emulsion settling through the stream.

7. A method of dehydrating petroleum oil, comprising slowly advancing oil in a continuous stream across a series of pockets having the width of the stream, causing a continuous current of liquid to flow from the bottom of said pockets across approximately the entire width of said stream, and proportioning the rate of flow of said current to draw emulsion out of the stream therewith.

8. A method of dehydrating petroleum oil, comprising heating the oil, passing the heated oil in a continuous stream through a closed chamber, removing emulsion from the bottom of said stream as it settles by gravity, reheating"said emulsion and advancing it in a stream across a series of pockets, and withdrawing emulsion from the bottom of said second stream while recovering dehydratedpil from the up 'er part of said second stream.

9. A method of dehydrating petroleum oil, comprising heating the oil, passing the heated 011 in a continuous stream through a closed chamber, removing emulsion from the bottom of said stream, reheating the IOL emulsion and passing the heated emulsion I in a stream through a closed chamber, withdrawing emulsion from the bottom of said emulsion stream while recovering dehydrated oil from the upper portion of said emulsion stream, removing oil vapors from said chambers, condensing'said vapors, and mixing the condensate with the dehydrated o1 10/Amethod of dehydrating petroleum oil, com rising heating oil in a series of stages, oil being heated in a succeeding stage "comprisingthe residuum of oil heated. and dehydrated in a preceding stage and the temperature on the oil -being. progressively increased in the succeeding stages, ad-

vancing-the heated oil ofeach stage in a continuous stream through a chamber, and separating from the lower portion of each of said streams the residuum to be treated in the succeeding stage. 7

11. An oil dehydrating apparatus having, in combination, a heat interchanger, an emulsion separator, a water separator, means for conducting emulsion from the emulsion separator to the water separator, means for conducting oil through the heat interchanger to the emulsion. separator and means for conducting deh drated 'oil' from the emulsion separator t rough the heat inter changer.

12. .An oil dehydratingapparatus having, in combination, an emulsion separator having a vapor collecting space, a water separator, means for conducting emulsion from the emulsion separator to the water separator, means for conducting oil to the emulsion separator, means for conducting dehydrated oil away from said emulsion sepas rator, and means for collecting and .condensing vapors from said emulsion separator. I

13. An oil dehydrating apparatus having, in combination, a heat inter-changer, an oil heater, an emulsion separator, a water separator, a second emulsion separator, means to conduct emulsion from the first emulsion separator to said water separatqr means to conduct oil through said interchanger andheater to said first emulsion separator, means to conduct treated oil from said emulsion separator through said interchanger, and means to conduct Oll fI-OHI said water separator to the said second emulsion separator.

14. An oil dehydrating apparatus having in combination an emulsion separator, a heater connectedtherewith, means to conduct oil through the "said heater to the said separator, a second emulsion separator adapted to treatoil at a higher temperature. than the first separator, a heater connected therewith, a water separator, means to conduct emulsion from the first mentioned emulsion separator to the said water separator, means to conduct oil and emulsion from the said water separator through the second mentioned heater to the second emulsion separator, and means to conduct dehydrated oilaway from the said emulsion separators.

15. Anoil dehydrating apparatus having in combination an emulsion separator, a heater connected therewith, means to con duct oil through the said heater to the said separator, a second emulsion separator adapted to treat oil at a higher temperature" than the first separator, a heaterlconnected therewith, a water separator, means to conduct'emulsion from the first mentioned emulsion separator to the said water separator,

means'to conduct oil and emulsion"from-- the said water separator through the second mentioned heater to the second emulsion separator, a centrifugal separator, and means to condlict emulsion from the second emulsion separator. to the said centrifugal separator.

16'. In an oil dehydrating apparatus, a separator comprising a gas-tight vchamber, ages-sealed oil,, entrance compartment in said chamber, and a separating compartment in said chamber having a floor rovided with a series of pockets, and means or withdrawing liquid material from the base of said pockets. f

17. In anoil dehydrating apparatus, a

separator comprising ,a gas-tight chamber,

a Water separating compartment in said chamber, an emulsion separating compartment iii/said chamber having a floor provided with a series of pockets, means for withdrawing liquid material from the base of said pockets and means therein for regulating the flow of said liquid material.

18. In an oil dehydrating apparatus, a separator comprising a gas-tight chamber having a series of pockets in its floor arranged tr nsvers'ely V for with rawing 11 n id' material from said pockets, and a dehy rated oil outlet mounted near the uppierportion of said chamber.

19. In an oil dehydrating apparatus, a separator comprising a gas-ti ht chamber, a-series of teeth formed in he floor of said chamber said teeth being op osed to the direction of flow of liquid throng the chainof the chamber, means ber, outlet drains positioned at the bottom of the teeth togwithdraw emulsion from said chamber, and means for withdrawing dehydrated oil from said chamber.

. 20, Inan' oildehydratin apparatus, a separator comprisi thereof, drains mountedin said floor atthe, bottom of said pockets, and means to=withdraw dehydrated oil from said separating compartment.

a close chamber having double side wal s spaced apart to leave 21. vInan oildehydrating apparatus, an

emulsion separator comprising a. water r'emoving compartment arranged to stratify hydrated oil and having separate outlets for water, emulsion arid 'oil, a separating compartment provided with a series of pockets in its floor, meansto withdraw liquid from the base of said pockets, and means to With her having a series of compartments, partit1on walls separating said compartments having openings in their lower portions; weir walls spaced from said} partitions to provide a liquid space between them, said weir walls extending from the floor of the separator through only a portion of the hei ht of said chamber, a filtering medium positioned between said partitions and weir walls, means to withdraw water from" said separator, and means to withdraw oil and emulsion from the upper portion of said compartments.

24.1n an oil dehydratingapparatus, an

emulsion separator comprisin a gas-tight chamber built up of a series 0 longitudinal sections, expansion joints between said sections, a series of separating pockets formed in the floor of said chamber, means for withdrawing li uid from the bottom of said pockets, an 1 means to withdraw dehydrated oil' from said chamber.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HAROLD GRIN BALLARD. 

